Team Goodfellow welcomes Command Sgt. Maj. Coppi

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anne Gathua
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - --  With an 'Army Strong...Hooah!,' Team Goodfellow welcomed the new Command Sgt. Maj. Matildo Coppi, who took the reins from Command Sgt. Maj. Dan McCraw, June 1, in a ceremony hosted by the 344th Military Intelligence Battalion.

The El Paso, Texas native joined the Army in 1991, and has served in a variety of leadership and staff positions to include team leader, squad leader, operations sergeant, Advanced Individual Training instructor, first sergeant, combined intelligence operations sergeant major, brigade operations sergeant major, and command sergeant major.

Prior to assuming his current position, Coppi was stationed at the 717th Military Intelligence Battalion, Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

The 21 year veteran said he's very excited to be here and being selected as the command sergeant major of the one and only premier Signals Intelligence and Firefighting training battalion was truly a privilege and a distinct honor.

"San Angelo is a great location simply because it's a small community," Coppi said. "The hospitality from the city and tenant units on Goodfellow has been above reproach. Integrating into this community has been leaps and bounds above anything that I expected."

The command sergeant major said he's looking forward to leading our future leaders and to inspire, influence and empower the NCO Corps to be the best and train the best.

"The Army is here on a joint venture, clearly the mantra of 'One team, One fight," he added. "It's doing what we do to produce professionals, but at the same time my hand is extended to the sister services, and if there's anything I can do I will make that happen to the best of my abilities."

To his troops Coppi said it comes down to the fundamentals and the basics.

"Simply put from a soldiers perspective, living the NCO creed, the Soldiers Creed, the Warrior ethos and for trainees, being in the right place, right time, with the right uniform and right attitude."